Sports training cone

ABSTRACT

A sports training cone includes an upper section, a gripping section, and a lower section. The gripping section is formed of a raised irregular surface located about 15% from the top of the cone and extending about 35% along the length of the cone. The upper and lower sections have a smooth surface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/963,861, filed Dec. 16, 2013.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a sports training cone which aids in an athlete's reaction training namely change of direction, maintenance of proper athletic stances and effective use of hands.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Sports are not scripted. Sports are not predictable. They are based on reactions, and in many cases, they include contact. All of those traits require an athlete to change directions quickly, remain low in athletic stances, and use the hands effectively. While most cones are simply objects that sit on the floor, the present invention is a cone which stimulate and enhances these traits.

The present invention is a cone which has a wide base and a central gripping surface making it easy to grab, move from spot to spot, slam, and stack. The gripping surface enables the cone to be grabbed, tossed, slid, or stacked during training.

These features allow for athletes to train for reactions rather than train with ordinary cones that don't move, and to grab and simulate contact and force athletes into lower athletic positions through the acts of grabbing and sliding.

The prior art includes: SOCCER.COM Veloce Pro Cone, U.S. Pat. No. 3,380,428 Abrams, U.S. Pat. No. 3,496,904 Rimkus, U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,791 Thurston, U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,270 Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,600 Brown, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,369 Bent, et al., and D617,402 Fucillo, et al.

The Veloce Pro Cone does not have any grip. Fucillo et al shows a sports training cone having a grip at the top. Abrams, Rimkus, Thurston, Brown, et al. and Bent et al. all show traffic cones with handle grips at the top of the cones. Smith shows a handgrip for a bat formed of an irregular surface about the entire circumference of the bat.

The prior art does not show an irregular gripping surface formed about the central circumference of a portion of the cone.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the sports training cone; and;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the sports training cone taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIGS. 1-2 the sports training cone of the present invention includes an upper section 1, a gripping section 3 and a lower section 5. The gripping section 3 is formed of a raised irregular surface located about 15% from the top of the cone and extending about 35% along the length of the cone. Thus, the gripping surface covers 35% of the circumference of the cone starting 15% from the top and 50% from the bottom.

The cone itself is formed of a propylene polymer. The grip is TPE (thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer and is heat shrunk onto the cone. The upper and lower sections (above and below the irregular gripping surface) have a smooth surface about the circumference of the cone. 

I claim:
 1. A sports training cone having a top and a bottom, the surface of the cone being divided into three sections, an upper section adjacent said top, a lower section adjacent said bottom, and a gripping section formed about the circumference of the cone between said upper and lower sections, said gripping section being formed of a raised irregular surface.
 2. The sports training cone of claim 1 wherein said gripping section begins about 15% of the length of said from said top.
 3. The sports training cone of claim 2 wherein said gripping section extends about 35% of the length of said cone.
 4. The sports training cone of claim 1 wherein said gripping surface covers 35% of the length of the cone beginning 5% of the length of the cone from said top and ending 50% of the length of the cone from said bottom.
 5. A sports training cone having a top and a bottom, said cone having a grip formed of a raised irregular surface located about the entire circumference of the cone, said surface commencing about 15% of the length of the cone from the top of the cone and ending about 50% of the length of the cone from the bottom of the cone.
 6. A sports training cone having a top and a bottom, the surface of the cone being divided into three sections, an upper section adjacent said top having a smooth surface, a lower section adjacent said bottom having a smooth surface, and a gripping section formed about the circumference of the cone between said upper and lower sections, said gripping section being formed of a raised irregular surface.
 7. The sports training cone of claim 6 wherein said gripping surface covers 35% of the length of the cone starting at a location 15% of the length of the cone from said top and ending 50% of the length of the cone from said bottom. 